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Transport planning authorities and operators in various countries are planning far-reaching transformations of secondary railway stations into so-called mobility hubs with the aim to foster rail-based and intermodal mobility. The transformations of railway stations do not only affect the transportation network, but also the urban fabric surrounding railway stations. Projects of this nature, therefore, require a deeper understanding of the preferences of local residents, the key users of such hubs. We developed a three-stage adaptive survey experiment with a random sample of 2,028 adult residents in the perimeter of three secondary railway stations in Switzerland to identify preferences towards four potential railway station functions: public transport provision, access to multimodality, retail and services, and stations as a public space. The main findings are that the transportation function is the top priority, followed by the public space function. Other functions, such as retail, services, and multimodal mobility, are less preferred by residents. The findings reveal the importance of also considering non-commercial functions of these hubs and that residents are viewing railway station as more than merely transport hubs or shopping centres; they are considered key neighbourhood components that shape local identities through their role as public spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have shown that the façade and light patterns in a space are an important factor in the occupants' experience, but little is known about the generalizability of these findings in different lighting conditions, uses of space, or latitudes. This study employed virtual reality to investigate the effects of façade geometry and daylight patterns on space impressions and physiological responses (skin conductance, heart rate, and heart rate variability), while simultaneously examining the effect of sky type, spatial context, and latitude on participant responses. In an experimental study conducted in Switzerland and Greece, 256 participants were exposed to immersive interior scenes with six façade geometry variations with the same perforation ratio, derived from contemporary architecture. Participants evaluated the scenes under different sky types (clear sky with high or low sun angle, or overcast sky) and spatial contexts (working or socializing). The façade geometry influenced both the appraisal (how pleasant, interesting, exciting, or calming the space was perceived) and the visual appearance of the space (how complex, bright, or spacious the space was perceived). Façade geometry also influenced the reported satisfaction with the amount of view, with a façade variation with small, irregularly distributed openings driving this effect. Neither the sky type nor the spatial context influenced space impressions. Results showed a significant effect of country and an interaction between country and façade geometry only for ratings of excitement, with participants in Greece rating specific façade variations as more exciting than participants in Switzerland. Skin conductance level (logΔSCL) decreased under exposure to a social context in clear sky with a low sun angle compared to a working context in overcast sky conditions. No significant effects were found for the other physiological measures. The results of the present study show that façade geometry was the main driver of the participants' spatial experience, inducing perceptual effects that were robust to variations in sky type and space function and to regional differences (except for excitement). These findings have implications for the built environment, delineating the façade geometry as an important design tool with a high application potential across lighting conditions and space uses, and across latitudes between central and southern Europe. • The façade geometry influenced the participants' impressions of a daylit scene in VR. • Neither the sky type nor the context (use of space) influenced participants' impressions. • Participants in Greece rated scenes as more exciting than participants in Switzerland. • Specific façade variations were rated as more exciting in Greece than in Switzerland. • A significant interaction between sky type and context was found for skin conductance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]